A Pleasant Chill
by sleapyGazelle
Summary: Cress's first snow, where Thorne's surprise doesn't quite go as planned. One-shot. Cresswell.


Cress woke to intense heat. She was sweating through her pajamas. They were still supposed to be in space. Why did it feel like an Australian summer? Was something wrong with the Rampion's heating system? Rolling out of bed, she smoothed her hair in the mirror before heading out the door to find Thorne. She knocked on the door to the captain's quarters, but there was no answer. After a moment's shy hesitation, she entered his passcode and opened the door. His bed was unmade and empty. _Huh_. It wasn't like him to be up this early.

She wandered into the room and realized everything felt still. Too still. Had they landed? She ran out to the pilot's cabin to look through the front window, and gasped. _We're in a cloud!_ No, she had seen this on net dramas and on the news. _Snow!_ She stared open-mouthed at the expanse of smooth white, seemingly stretching on for miles. Thorne must have landed while she slept. _Where was he?_

Finally realizing she wanted to feel the snow on her skin, she dashed out of the ship, still in her pajamas and slippers. The cold hit her face first, then seeped into the rest of her. But it was a pleasant chill, a new experience. It freshened her. She bent down to scoop some snow up, and let out a giggle. _It's so soft!_ Her fingers tingled as it melted against them. Using both hands, she shaped it into a ball like she had seen on a net drama. _Where's Thorne?_

As if in response, a gloved hand crept around her waist and pulled her back. "Hey," Thorne said into her hair.

She burned up despite the chill. The snowball in her hand melted faster. She was pressed against him, his cheek on her temple, and his arm still around her waist. "Hey," she whispered back.

He leaned back and let her turn to face him. "I thought you'd sleep a little longer."

She raised an eyebrow. (Cinder had finally managed to teach her that.) "You expected me to sleep in that furnace?"

He looked incredulous. "I turned up the heat a notch because I landed us in the snow. Seeing as how you've never seen snow before, I wanted to surprise you. But i didn't want you to be cold."

She smiled contentedly, and let out an involuntary shiver. The chill was less pleasant now that her slippers and pant legs were soaked through.

"Stars, Cress! Why'd you come out like this? You'll catch a cold! I was going to give you a coat and boots. I had a whole surprise planned."

She looked up at him in dismay. "Oh no, did I ruin your surprise?"

When he saw her expression, one side of his mouth twitched up in a mischievous half-smile. "You did. Now I'm devastated. How will you make it up to me?" He started to close the small distance between them.

 _No, he doesn't get to play this game._ She put her arms around his neck and with an innocent look on her face, dropped the melting snowball into his sweater. He yelped shrilly and jumped back, hands batting frantically at his neck. "I'll get you for this!"

Cress laughed and tried to run back to the ship. But she couldn't get very far in the calf-high snow wearing slippers. She tripped. The snow cushioned her, but she was shaking now, from the cold and from her laughter.

"Cress, you'll catch a cold," he said, mock anger temporarily forgotten. He held out a hand to her and pulled her to her feet. But instead of letting go, he wrapped her arm around his shoulder, and swept her up into his arms.

"I can walk inside, Thorne."

"You'll trip again."

"I will not!"

"Fine. If you prefer walking to my loving arms…" He bent slightly as if to set her down.

She grabbed the front of his sweater, and he straightened, trying to hide the happiness on his face with a mischievous grin as he resumed walking. "Don't think I'm done with you. My back is wet and freezing cold," he accused.

"You woke me with a _heater_ ," she protested.

"Ah, but I had no malicious intent. Unlike you." He looked at her pointedly. Biting back a smile, she reached up and kissed him. He stopped walking as he kissed her back, but he didn't put her down. She pulled away and turned her mouth to his ear. "I'm sorry I put the snowball in your sweater."

Thorne took a shaky step forward. "You know, if you think you can distract me with-"

She cut him off with another quick kiss, and said, "And thank you for the surprise, Carswell. It's lovely." His arms tightened around her. He bent his head to rest his forehead against hers.

" _You're_ lovely," he replied. She smiled. "Stars, was that too cheesy? I've been watching some net dramas; I know you like them. But I think that was too cheesy. Was it?"

She groaned. "You ruined it." But she was still smiling.


End file.
